Purchase of property on Cannon Place will double the size of the beloved branch, which will open at its new location in 2019
AUGUST TK – The New York Public Library has finalized its purchase of a 5,800-square-foot building that will now be transformed into the new, larger home of the Van Cortlandt branch in the Bronx.
The new property at 3882 Cannon Place is only three blocks from the existing 2,700-square-foot branch and more than double the size, allowing the Library to better accommodate the growing community with more space for reading, programs, computers, and more. The new location also has an outdoor space.
The Van Cortlandt Library has been at its original one-room location at 3874 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx since 1968. Even with limited space, the branch has seen a 49 percent increase in program attendance in recent years – and needs to expand.
City Council Member Andrew Cohen, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. allocated over $2 million for the project, which is expected to be complete in spring 2019.
The Library will now begin work on transforming the new space into a branch library. To do this, it will launch a “Building for You” community engagement campaign, soliciting feedback from the community on its wants and needs for a new space to help inform design and plans. In the coming months, the Library will conduct a survey in the existing branch and online, and will hold community meetings.
“For decades the Van Cortlandt Library has been a fixture in this vibrant community, serving a diverse neighborhood that has embraced the resources and services our branch offers. With a new, larger facility – Van Cortlandt Library will have even greater opportunities for our patrons, enhancing our collections and adding new programs that will bring more support to the community we call home. We thank Councilmember Andrew Cohen, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for their generous support and look forward to enjoying the Library’s next chapter together,” said Van Cortlandt Library Manager Peter Pamphile.
“I’m thrilled that the Van Cortlandt Branch has found a new home,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen. “I was proud to help fund this project that will allow the Van Cortlandt Library to grow with the community. The Van Cortlandt Library has always been an important part of our community and I am excited for its expansion.”
“The purchase of the new Cannon Place property by the New York Public Library is a monumental step for Bronx residents and their quest for a new Van Cortlandt branch. This larger location will enable even more families to enjoy their favorite books and library programs. I’m proud to have secured $500,000 for this important community project, and I look forward to its completion,” said Senator Jeff Klein.
“I am thrilled that I was able to secure funding to help bring this new library to the Van Cortlandt Village community. The new library will be more than twice as large as the current facility and will be able to provide so many more services to the community. This major improvement will benefit everyone in the neighborhood. By all of the elected officials working together to bring the resources necessary for this new branch we were able finally help start the process to make this long overdue facility a reality,” Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz.
“This new branch library will be a tremendous upgrade from the existing location, and I am proud to have provided capital funding towards this project to make this relocation work. The new Van Cortlandt Branch Library will provide the readers of the Northwest Bronx with a state-of-the-art facility, and I congratulate the New York Public Library for making this project a priority. I look forward to visiting this new branch when it opens in the future,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
The New York Public Library is currently doing $350 million worth of capital projects across its system, including $117 million for 53 capital projects in the Bronx. This work includes Van Cortlandt Library, the expansion of the Woodlawn Heights Library, and full renovations for Hunt’s Point and Melrose Libraries, among others.
Media Contact:
Amy Geduldig | 212.592.7177 | AmyGeduldig@nypl.org
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The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.